Traces - Alibi, mondays at 9pm. Written by Amelia Bullmore from an idea of Val McDermaid

[stumbledin]

Well having made a complete fool of my self by giving advance notice of the Mallorca Files I am about to do it again.

Or at least I hope not, given who the writer is and where the concept came from.

At this point I would welcome anything decent as there seems to be nothing but totally nonsense on the tv or repeats.

alibi.uktv.co.uk/shows/traces/

I'm so glad you started this thread- i doubt I'd have heard of it otherwise.

I'm just on episode two, and it's really very good.

I am still really enjoying this despite the strange style of dress. But maybe that is what "professional" women wear nowadays.

Having a few doubts about the number of coincidences / interconnections but really looking forward to how it works out.

But might have to break my committment to watch it in real time as the last episode in on 24th.

Or keep it till the lull between Christmas and New Year.

I think the teaming up of Amelia Bullmore and Val McDermaid has been really rewarding. Not quite Happy Valley (series 1) but quite close.

(And better than Strike which I rewatched as it came on after this, which I dont remember as being a be cliched. It doesn't seem to have been recommissioned so presumably others agreed)

I've just started it and am enjoying it. However I live near Dundee and am a bit perplexed by the fact all the locals appear to be Glaswegians! None of them have a Dundee accent.

Apolloanddaphne - that's interest and a bit strange.

They obviously have gone for a quality output, so why wouldn't they get the accents right? It bit like having something set in Liverpool and everyone speaks with a Manchester acccent.

I know I could google it, but is Dundee quite a big city? Only asking as so much on the plot seems to be people meeting other people who then have some link.

What are the changes?!

It's not a big city at all. I would think if you were brought up there you would know lots of people.

Dramas set in Cumbria use Manchester accents - generic northern instead of generic Scottish

Thanks Apolloanddaphne - will watch it with a different view.

re accents - I know some actors struggle with getting accents rights, but for some it is such a USP for them it seems strange.

For instance, even if you aren't from Ireland, it would be hard to accept a character speaking like Ian Paisley and for them to be from Dublin.

Or maybe not?!

I watched all six episodes. Is this a spoiler-free thread? Dying to talk about it

Yes please - spoiler free until 10pm on Christmas eve!!!

Or you could start another thread saying Spoiler for all episodes of Traces.

I'll hang out on this thread until then 🤐🤐

I am not sure that you shouldn't post as quite honestly nobody has been coming on this thread and discussed it episode by episode.

I know I said I would watch it in real time but am weakening because of the timings next week.

And the other poster was @Blondeshavemorefun (who I think will be alerted to this post) who wanted to watch in real time.

You could just put SPOILER at the start of your posts.

Those of us who are going at a slower pace can join in later.

Best to do it while fresh in your mind.

I’m behind as only seen 1&2 due to work

Hope to see 3&4 TOM/sat

Having really enjoyed the first couple episodes I’m now finding it a bit ridiculous! Won’t go into exact specifics but Emma getting ‘involved’ with the line of duty man after one night together is a bit ridiculous isn’t it (on both sides)?? Watching with 19 year old daughter who also thought the pace of it was just daft.

Yes - that's why I asked up thread about how big Dundee was because of all these "coincedences" connections.

Now thinking new boyfriends Dad is going to be somehow part of what happened to her mother.

But still enjoying it.

Isn't part of the plotting that the main character is a bit out of control / emotional?

She is the one setting off all the chain reactions with her behaviour

Yes, Emma is definitely setting off and involved in all chains from her mum to the pub fire to the drugs in the club. And would someone really ask someone to move in pretty much after 24 hours of knowing eachother?!

I’ve just realised Emma’s dad is John Gordon Sinclair from Gregory’s Girl (ancient film which probably no one has heard of!!). Wow!

He has not aged well.

I kept looking at his eyes and thinking I know him! To be fair it was made in 1981!!

i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/30/16/43B60C0D00000578-4837046-image-m-110_1504105649798.jpg

I kept seeing the name in the credits and thought I knew it - didn't recognise it was him though.

I too saw John Gordon Sinclair's name in the credits and thought I'd certainly recognise him when I saw him. Wrong! I now have to go back and look more closely.

I downloaded the last two episodes and have watched them tonight but I promise I won't do spoilers. I enjoyed it.

I’m on the last one!!!

I couldn't believe it was John Gordon Sinclair!

Ditto! I also looked at the credits and then went to the web page to see which character he was playing.

But have confused myself further as I was hanging on to watch the last 2 episodes in real time, and came across the series Cheat which I must have missed earlier this year. And thought this should keep me going till mon /tues.

Only to find 2 of the actresses are in both series, so it was too distracting to watch.

So giving notice I am about to give in and watch the last 2 episodes of Traces in advance!

I'm just on the 3rd ep.

I don't really get the culpable homicide thing.

I get that the builders cut corners but the fire was set deliberately & the people were locked in!

diddl

As I understand it the issue is that even though the fire was set deliberately if the proper fire resistant doors and so had been fitted the fire would not have spread. Obviously not on the scale of Grenfell but if the builders there had used appropriate cladding etc., a small electrical fire from a freezer (?) would not have been able to set the tower block alight.

I have now finished watching it and realise that because Val McDermaid was involved the technical details etc., would be accurate.

But I am now becoming aware that I dont really take in details like a should. I just got with twists and turns of the plot.

All in all I think it was far better than many others, though not as I said earlier on anywhere near the league of Happy Valley.

Totally off topic, well this series, when did it become a thing that Xmas tv schedules are about ghosties and so on. I thought that was the theme for new year.

Hope others will come back to discuss series as a whole.

Have been very impressed by everyone who has avoided spoilers.